Uhe warm West Blue sun, the vast sailing ship glided over the calm seas, its silhouette gleaming against the backdrop of a clear sky. This wasn't just any ship; it was the pride of the Donquixote family, the Prometheus, proudly flying the Celestial Dragon insignia. However, this symbol was slightly us traditional hoof mark was adorned with a bright purple flower in the ter, the emblem of the Donquixote family.

  The Prometheus ectacle. At the bow was a rge statue of a sea god, a formidable guardian for this grand vessel. Reinforced with thick armor pting on its sides, the ship could easily withstand heavy assaults. Armed with a hundred and nine ons spread across its bow and sides, the ship's firepower was nothing short of terrifying, able to reduy enemy fleet to wreckage in minutes.

  Beyond its defenses, Prometheus was a floating pace of luxury. The deck was so expa resembled a grand courtyard, rge enough to host a game of polo or horse races. The deck was lined with lush green grass, plete with a sunken swimming pool and lounge areas. Rising four stories above deck, the ship even boasted a massive gss aquarium, teeming with marine life, from vibrant fish to graceful turtles and even a few sharks. At its ter uleaurant, encircled by the aquarium's translut walls, creating a dining experiehat rivaled the fi establishments in the world.

  Among the ship's maures, there was also a library, a pce Cudius had meticulously desigo house a vast colle of books. Although the shelves were still mostly bare, Cudius had grand pns to fill them, especially with the knowledge preserved within Ohara's famed Tree of Knowledge. With some luck, he mused, he might even add a few aexts, including the elusive Poneglyphs, to his colle.

  "Isnd sighted! I see a rge tree in the middle of it, that must be Ohara!" Enel's voice rang out from the hot air balloohered to the Prometheus's upper deck. From his vantage point, Enel had been sing the seas for any signs of daelescope in hand.

  Cudius set down the book he was reading, took a bite from a slice of cake nearby, and asked casually, "Any Marine ships in the area?"

  "he coast is clear," Enel replied.

  Cudius chuckled. "Looks like we've beateo it. Perfect timing! If all goes well, that Tree of Knowledge will be ing with me."

  As the Prometheus drew closer to Ohara, a crowd began to gather at the isnd's port. The townspeople stared i the massive vessel, whispering among themselves.

  "That's… the Celestial Dragons' banner!" an elderly man excimed, panic creeping into his voice. The crowd began to scatter, wary of the ship and its feared passengers. Everyone khe reputation of the Celestial Dragons, being in their presee trouble, and people were all too eager to avoid it.

  Standing on the deck, Cudius watched the townsfolk retreat with a faint sense of pity. "Poor souls," he murmured. "They have no idea what's ing."

  At his side, Stussy, now dressed in a sharp white suit, gave him a curious look. "Yhness, do you io help them? There must be many i people here…"

  Cudius shook his head. "I or not, you guarahere aren't any schors here studying forbiddes?" he asked pointedly.

  Stussy hesitated, eventually shaking her head. "No… I 't."

  "Exactly," Cudius replied softly. "No one . And if any of them mao escape with that knowledge… well, that's a risk the Marines won't take. But I'm not here to judge them. I'm just here for the books." He griurning his gaze toward the t Tree of Knowledge in the distance.

  Ohe Prometheus docked, Cudius and his ente disembarked, desding down a ramp that exteo the port. They hadn't gone far when they were approached by an elderly man with a distinctive hairstyle resembling a clover—Dr. Clover, the renowned schor and head of Ohara's archaeological institute. The old man moved forward with the io kneel, showing his respect.

  Cudius, however, held up a hand to stop him. "No need for that," he said gently, helping the man up. For someone of Dr. Clover's age, bowing or kneeling might just do more harm than good, Cudius thought.

  "Are you Dr. Clover?" Cudius asked.

  Dr. Clover nodded respectfully. "Yes, that is correct. I am honored by your visit, Yhness. May I ask your name?"

  "Cudius. Donquixote Cudius," he replied with a polite smile.

  "A great honor, Lord Cudius," Dr. Clover responded, bowing his head. "How may we be of service?"

  Cudius walked with the old mauring toward the distant tree. "I'd like to see the Tree of Knowledge," he said, "and there are two things I'd like to aplish during my time here. Shall we?"

  "Of course," Dr. Clreed, falling into step beside him. After a pause, he asked, "And what might those two things be, if I may inquire?"

  "Firstly, I'm looking for a certain… rge individual. From what I've heard, a giant has retly been seen here. Does that ring any bells?" Cudius asked nontly.

  Dr. Clover's brows knitted slightly. "A giant? I haven't seen any giants on this isnd, I'm afraid."

  Cudius waved off the . "No matter. I'll hahat myself. As for the seatter, I need your help with something."

  Dr. Clover ined his head. "And what might that be?"

  Cudius looked at him with a faint smile. "I want to take all the books from the Tree of Knowledge. You and your schors help me prepare them for transport."

  Dr. Clover froze, staring at Cudius in shock. "You… you want to take all the books? The Tree of Knowledge holds the history of mankind, a treasure trove of culture and wisdom. Surely you 't mean—"

  "Oh, I assure you, my ship has more than enough space to aodate the colle," Cudius replied breezily, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

  Dr. Clover's mind raced, struggling to process what he was hearing. "Lord Cudius, the books of Ohara… they are more than just objects. They represeuries of knowledge, preserved by geions of schors…"

  Cudius met his gaze, his tone softening slightly. "And that's exactly why I want to preserve them, Doctor. You've done a remarkable job here, but the truth is… you don't have the means to keep them safe. Not anymore."

  A heavy silence fell between them. Dr. Clover's face paled as he began to grasp the unspoken implications. "Yhness," he said, voice shaking slightly, "we in Ohara have safeguarded this knowledge for thousands of years."

  Cudius nodded sympathetically. "Yes, and look where that's brought you. The world isn't as fiving as it once was. You may call it a pursuit of knowledge, but to others, it's a threat. Some things… are better left buried. Don't you agree, Doctor?"

  ***

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